I ignored his hand and fisted mine together in my lap. “I’m working on it.” Actually I was waiting for more precise information from the Star Seekers who had an undercover guy in a Trimark clan. But, why should I share that with Brian Cassidy?
He let his hand drop and frowned at me. Today was definitely my day for getting dirty looks. The silence between us grew. I fidgeted on the big bench seat, wondering when he’d get to the point of his visit. It was then I remembered my manners. Six months earlier, Brian Cassidy sent Teagan to spring Sammie and me from a U.S. government “secure facility” where we’d been held against our will. And, yes, Ryker played a part as well.
I took a big breath and said, “Um, thanks for your help, you know, when Sammie and I . . .”
Before I could finish my sentence, Teagan rapped on the window and pointed toward the cistern.
I peered through the glass and spotted Sammie, a russet feather tucked behind one ear, trying to lift the heavy cement lid of the cistern. Fighting panic, I scrambled out of the car and ran to her. “Sammie! What’s going on?”
She looked at me with a faraway gaze. “He wouldn’t take me to Boundless. I want to go.”
I grabbed her hand and held on tight. I’d been through this before with a changeling named Chad. Boundless was calling to Sammie, big-time, exactly as it had with Chad. I could see the longing in her eyes and prayed I could come up with the right words to convince her to stay with me.
Chapter Four
I TALKED SAMMIE down from her “faery high.” It wasn’t easy. I knew it had nothing to do with Ryker and everything to do with the fact she was currently in the wrong world. Think about it. She had nobody, and I mean nobody, to bind her to the mortal world. Her mother was dead. Maybe her dad was too. Her stepdad was a creep who had no use for her.
Sammie and I probably had the same amount of faery blood coursing through our veins, but I had people who cared about me. Faye wasn’t exactly mother of the year material, but she always had my back. My dad, Mike Purdy, was bound to me by our DNA and, strangely enough, relied on me to guide him through the crazy times. Kizzy wasn’t a relative, but she gave me unconditional love and support. And Junior? My mom said he reminded her of an old song. It goes like this: “If you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with.” (More about Junior later, I promise.)
When Sammie shuddered violently and lost her dreamy expression, I knew she was fully back in the mortal world. I linked my arm in hers and marched her over to the Escalade. “I need you to help me deal with Uncle Brian.”
She gave me a wan smile. “Oh, yeah.” She glanced over her shoulder at the cistern, her forehead creased with worry. “What just happened back there?”
“You don’t remember?”
“Not really.”
“You were about to book a one-way trip to Boundless.”
Sammie dug in her heels and we lurched to a stop. “What makes you think it would be one way?”
I kept a tight grip on her arm. “You’ll just have to trust me for now.”
She made a face and rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Boss.”
I bumped my forehead against hers and grinned. “That’s right. You and me. Together all the way.”
As we approached the car, Teagan gripped the door handle with long, pale fingers tipped with bright green claws. His upper lip lifted, baring an extraordinary number of teeth filed to needle-like points. Teagan’s welcoming smile.
Sammie inhaled sharply and sent me a thought message. Oh my God, that guy totally creeps me out.
I suppressed a shiver and scooted into the backseat, dragging Sammie with me before I answered silently. Me too. Just focus on the fact that he saved both our butts.
Teagan closed the door softly and slipped into the driver’s seat, staring straight ahead, thank God.
Brian Cassidy leaned forward and checked out Sammie. “Ah, I see the fae girl Teagan mentioned is still hanging about.”
Sammie huffed, “Hanging about? I live here now. I go to school and all that crap.”
I said, “Uncle Brian, Sammie and I have to work together to, you know, get the job done. I thought you knew.”
Brian’s sharp gaze zoomed in on me. “The job?”
I stared at him in disbelief. Why was this news to him? It was Cassidy who’d sent Teagan bearing the message, “Find the girl.” Maybe he was suffering from some sort of faery dementia. After all, he was hundreds of years old.
“You know, nineteen times nineteen,” I said. “When the stars align and moonbeams dance upon the stone. Both of us, Sammie and I, have to return the moonstone to keep the Trimarks from flooding in.”
Brian looked back and forth between Sammie and me, his brows drawn together in obvious puzzlement. “This cannot be. It’s my understanding you and your twin sister were to accomplish this task.”
“Nope,” I said. “That’s what I thought too. But Anna Starr is now Anne Marie Scott. She was adopted by a Trimark. When I found her, her mother sent her away to keep us apart. Not that she wanted anything to do with me. Sammie’s the one. I’m sure of it. So, maybe you should be a little nicer to her.”
Sammie said, “Maybe we should show him the locket and moonstone? How they . . . you know.”
Brian blinked rapidly, but not before I detected the sly glint in his eyes. “I’m aware of the moonstone. What is this locket you speak of?”
I’m part fae, so I can play games too. “No more information until you tell me why you’re here.”
“Fine,” Brian snapped. “We will cut to the chase. The Tuatha wish to share your mortal world. That will not be possible if the dark fae succeed in tipping the balance in their favor.”
“So you think Sammie and I can’t stop them?”
Sammie leaned around me to glower at Brian and echoed, “Yeah.”
Cassidy lifted his hands in a placating gesture. “You know I’m on your side, but face it, the odds are against you. For example, do you have any idea where this event is to take place?”
Killer question. As previously stated, I was waiting for more information. But, since Cassidy seemed to have no confidence whatsoever in Sammie and me, I decided to fake it. “All signs point to Ireland.”
Cassidy’s lips curled into a sneer. “Wonderful. You have it narrowed down to the country of Ireland. No need for me to worry.”
“Fine. Okay. So the details are a little sketchy.” I folded my arms across my chest and glared. “But I bet you could find out since you live in Boundless. The Trimarks are dark fae. There’s probably a bunch of them hanging around the Unseelie Court. If you do that for me, I’ll think about helping you with your problem.”
“Impossible! The Seelie and Unseelie do not mingle in Boundless.”
“Maybe you should learn to mingle. For the good of the cause.”
He turned to show me his perfect profile. “My looks alone would mark me as Tuatha. I would stand out like a rose among thorns. That would cause my folk great danger.”
Sammie pointed at Teagan. “What about him? He’d fit right in with all the thorns.”
Teagan turned and displayed his terrifying grin.
Sammie closed her eyes and shuddered.
“No, no,” Cassidy protested. “Teagan is a valuable asset. I will not put him at risk.”
I shook my head in disgust. “If you can’t help us, I guess we’ll muddle along on our own.”
His lips compressed into a thin white line. He turned away from us to face the window. I assumed he’d sunk into a royal faery snit.
Sammie gave me a questioning look and reached for the door handle.
I nodded. Before we could move, Brian’s hand shot out and captured my arm. “Wait.”
I pulled free. “Why?”
“I haven’t been entirely honest with you.”
“Kinda what I thought.”
“What if I told you Teagan and I are the last of our kind with the power to do magic?”
I studied his face.
Was this another trick? A ploy to gain my sympathy? If so, he was doing an excellent job. Slumped against the seat, he looked as though an invisible veil had gently settled onto his body and changed him into another person. His shoulders sagged like he was carrying the weight of every remaining Tuatha in his world. Who knows? Maybe he was. His features, formerly so imperious, were softer, his eyes focused on a faraway place. Right or wrong, sometimes, I let my heart guide me.
I waved a hand. “Okay, tell me more.”
Brian’s body jerked as he came back from wherever he’d retreated. “Thank you for listening, Avalon.”
“Hey! Am I invisible?” Sammie said.
“Many pardons, child. It’s just that Avalon is my direct descendant.”
“Why does everyone keep calling me child?” Sammie said. “I’m seventeen years old for God’s sake.”
“’Cause you’re a shrimp.” I held a finger to my lips to hush her up.
Brian said, “Unlike other fae, the Tuatha are tied to the mortal world. Many years ago, we arrived from a distant planet and lived peacefully in Boundland until we were driven underground. Unfortunately, the source of our power emanated from a stone circle in a place called Drombeg.”
“Ireland?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes, County Cork. It is now guarded by Trimarks whose goal is to keep us from entering the circle.”
Sammie said, “So you go to this place to, like, recharge your batteries?”
“Exactly,” Brian said. He touched my arm. “The last person to live entirely in the mortal world was your grandfather, Kyle Cassidy. As you know, he was brutally murdered by the Trimarks. Now, Teagan and I are the only Tuatha able to access the circle.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise.
Sammie said, “What about your other folk?”
“As the years passed, more Trimarks entered the mortal world,” Brian said. “The danger increased. More Tuatha were killed. Our remaining folk are frightened and no longer attempt to access the circle. Their powers are slowly vanishing. Without magic, the Tuatha cannot choose mates and bear children. We will simply fade away.”
A niggling doubt tickled the back of my mind. “So how do you and Teagan manage to get inside the circle?”
Teagan’s back stiffened. Still looking straight ahead, he said, “Have you forgotten my outstanding transmuting abilities?”
“Sorry, Teagan,” I said. Teagan was able to transmute, in other words, he could occupy another person’s body. “So do you hop inside a Trimark’s body and power up?”
“Exactly,” he said.
“And you, Uncle Brian? How do you manage it?”
“We play a variety of dangerous games, Teagan and me. Sometimes we wait until the end of a shift when the guards are weary. Teagan transmutes, distracts the other guards and I enter the circle. We have other strategies as well. Often times, though, it’s too dangerous and my powers begin to weaken.”
Sammie leaned forward so she could study Brian’s face. “You know what? I think you’re tryin’ to punk us.”
Brian’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Sammie said, “It doesn’t make sense. You live in a place called Boundless . . . right?”
Brian nodded.
“And Boundless means without limits?”
She waited until he nodded again. “The way I see it” she continued, “you’ve got a whole butt load of opportunities to solve your little problem right there in Boundless. Dude, just get over your awesome self and make an appointment with Luminata. Ask her to help you guys out.”
I looked at Sammie with newfound respect. She’d zeroed right in on the problem. Brian’s stubbornness and sense of superiority wouldn’t allow him to seek help in Boundless.
His handsome face turned dark red. “I told you, we Tuatha do not mingle with others. We prefer to keep our blood pure.”
I said, “If that’s true, we wouldn’t be related. Obviously my grandfather, Kyle Cassidy, got it on with a mortal. Or, in your words, mingled.”
Brian huffed, “I should have said we do not mingle with other fae. Mortals are a different story.”
He bobbed his head toward Teagan. “There are a few exceptions, however.”
“Hmmm.” I thought for a moment. “So it’s not just about regaining your powers. You’re looking to expand your dating pool.”
Brian folded his hands in his lap and regarded me gravely. “Yes, I admit that is one of the reasons. But without access to your world, the Tuatha will no longer exist. I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening.”
Sammie said, “No offense, dude, but you’re kind of a snob.”
Brian’s lips twisted in disdain. “Sticks and stones.”
Okay, here’s the deal. My uncle was a snob and probably playing me as well. After all, he was a faery. But, remember what I said about my heart? I had very few relatives, and Brian Cassidy was one of them.
I said, “What exactly is it you want me to do?”
Hope bloomed in his eyes. “I believe you are a normal mortal girl. Correct?”
I glanced over at Sammie. She winked.
I said, “Um, sort of.”
“I would like you to be my conduit to the mortal world, to show people that faeries live among them in a normal manner.”
“Semi-normal manner,” I corrected. “And how would I do this?”
Cassidy said, “I’m thinking a major news channel. CNN. Fox. Your choice.”
“Hold it,” I said. “My life would then change forever and not in a good way.”
“Measures could be taken to protect your identity. You’re still a minor child, after all.”
Was that true? It sounded like he’d researched the subject, so I was inclined to believe him.
Before I could change my mind, I blurted, “Okay, I’ll do it, but it’s not gonna happen until after the ‘save the world’ thing. Take it or leave it.”
Uncle Brian said, “I’ll take it.”
Chapter Five
BACK TO MY semi-normal life. Graduation night. Handing out programs. Admiring the effect of our cool decorations even while dreading the appearance of Beck Bradford. How should I react? What should I say? “Oh hi, Beck. Please don’t hug me. I don’t want to feel anything right now.”
The next person through the door put an end to my worries. Normally, I don’t scare easily. Maybe it’s because I’ve been in more life-threatening situations than most people my age. I’d been captured and severely injured by the Trimarks, who’d kidnapped my mother. I’d even gone head to head with the U.S. government. So, who could possibly make me shiver in my shoes? Maria Martinez, mother of my sometimes boyfriend, Junior Martinez. That’s who.
A tiny terror with flashing black eyes, Maria stormed through the door and snatched a program from my hand. She narrowed her eyes and hissed, “You!”
Honestly, I don’t know why she hates me. Is it because I’m not Mexican? Is she afraid I won’t bear Junior six sons? Actually, that could be the reason, because it’s so not gonna happen. Whatever the reason, it’s not something I can control, so I’ve given up trying to puzzle it out.
I gulped loudly and took a few steps backward. “Um, hi there, Miz Martinez.”
She crowded in close, shook a finger in my face and burst into a furious outpouring of Spanish. I was pretty sure she wasn’t saying, “Hello, dear. How are you?”
Since I was already pressed against the wall of the gymnasium, I had nowhere to retreat. I held up a hand. “Sorry, I didn’t quite get that.”
She said, “You bad. Junior sad. I mad!”
Okay, props to Miz Martinez for speaking in rhyme, but the message made absolutely no sense. If anyone should be mad, it was me. And I was. Maria’s son, the incredibly handsome Junior, started out as a soap star in Mexico. It didn’t take long for him to break into movies, first in Mexico. Then Hollywood knocked on the door, and Junior became the Next Big Thing. As such, he was hunted down by tabloids who loved to picture him with
an assortment of wannabe movie stars. Female-type movie stars. Junior always claimed the pictures were ‘Photo Shopped.’ At least until the last one.
It was undeniably Junior. Sprawled on a beach towel. Nuzzling the neck of Selena Espinoza, one of the most gorgeous women in the universe. I knew it was Junior because of the barbwire tattoo that circled his left bicep, the one with the initials A and E woven through it. Yeah, the A and E stood for Allie Emerson. Well, crap.
“Sorry, Miz Martinez,” I said. “I think Junior has another girlfriend. Maybe it’s time we both moved on.”
Apparently the woman understood more than I gave her credit for, because her reply reached decibels I assumed could only be heard by dogs.
“No!” she howled. “Your fault! You here. Junior far away. Men need women close by. You know why. They men, that’s why.”
Her words caromed off the tastefully decorated ceiling beams, resulting in a hush that swept across the gymnasium like a Chinook wind blowing down from the Cascades.
Offended on so many levels, I hardly knew where to begin. Men need women close by? Geez, what could I say? Um, Miz Martinez, since Junior and I aren’t doing it, it doesn’t really matter where I am. And, if he loves me, he should be faithful even if he is a guy. Overcome with outrage, I spoke a little louder than necessary. “You’re saying it’s my fault? Maybe you should be yelling at Junior for messing around with Selena.”
While she processed my remark, I looked over the top of her head and my face grew hot with embarrassment. Practically every living soul in Peacock Flats turned out for graduation, and we had their undivided attention. Geez, it was like we were a hot new reality show. Once again, Allie Emerson was making a name for herself, but not in a good way. Because my part-time job was working at Uncle Sid’s fruit stand, I’d be hearing about this incident for months. Such is life in a small town.
I looked around for an escape route. Without physically barreling into the mother of my former love, there was no way out. Thank God, Peacock Flats High School principal, Leon Hostetler, came to my rescue.
Mr. Hostetler placed a hand on Maria Martinez’s shoulder. “Is there a problem here?”
Midnight Moon (The Unbidden Magic Series) Page 3
